Abheet Gupta 
David Mackenzie’s FUZE is not interested in playing by convention. What begins as a tense bomb disposal thriller gradually transforms into something far more unpredictable and layered heist film filled with shifting perspectives, escalating tension, and constant surprises. Directed by the Hell or High Water and Starred Up filmmaker, FUZE stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Sam Worthington, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in a story that unfolds amid the chaos of a London evacuation caused by an unexploded World War II bomb.
Ahead of the film’s digital release on May 26, HIGH ON CINEMA spoke with David Mackenzie about crafting FUZE’s constantly evolving structure, the changing theatrical landscape for mid-budget thrillers, collaborating once again with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and the unexpected use of tabla in the film’s score. You can watch our full interview with David Mackenzie below:
“You Don’t Really Know Where It’s Going”
One of FUZE’s greatest strengths is its unpredictability. Just when the audience believes they understand the kind of film they’re watching, the narrative shifts direction entirely. Mackenzie revealed that subverting expectations was always central to the experience.
“I’ve always been into the idea of films where you don’t really know where it’s going,” Mackenzie told HIGH ON CINEMA. “You have fun with audience expectations and take people on a ride where they partially know what type of film it is, but there are surprise turns along the way.”
The director explained that much of the film unfolds almost in real time, forcing the storytelling to remain kinetic and constantly moving.
“You don’t have time to explain things. So information has to come out hidden inside action and plot twists. There’s an energy and drive to it that feels like pure cinema.”
That relentless momentum is exactly what makes FUZE feel designed for the big screen, something Mackenzie himself acknowledged during our conversation.
“It Is An Experience Strong In The Theater Environment”
Like many modern mid-budget thrillers, FUZE struggled to break through theatrically despite strong audience reactions and positive reviews. Discussing the changing viewing landscape, Mackenzie admitted he still sees the film as fundamentally theatrical.
“I do hope it will somehow find a way back into theaters in some way. Because I do think it is an experience that is kind of strong in that environment.”
The conversation naturally led to Outlaw King, Mackenzie’s 2018 historical epic starring Chris Pine and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, which received only a limited theatrical release before heading directly to Netflix.
“We made it for that,” Mackenzie said about theaters. “But unfortunately Netflix’s business model is trying to get to streaming as quickly as possible.”
Still, the filmmaker hopes audiences watching at home continue trying to recreate the theatrical experience.
“I hope people have developed their sound systems and got the biggest screen possible or projectors at home and are kind of replicating the theater experience in some way.”
Reuniting With Aaron Taylor-Johnson
FUZE also marks another collaboration between Mackenzie and Aaron Taylor-Johnson following Outlaw King. Mackenzie praised the actor’s commitment and preparation for the role.
“He’s a terribly opportunistic actor and really interesting and gets deep into the part”
The pair worked closely with military bomb disposal teams while preparing for the film.
“We did a lot of research with the army bomb disposal team. Understanding the chain of command, the lingo, the way they speak to each other. All of that became important.”
The Unexpected Use of Tabla in FUZE’s Soundtrack
One of the most surprising aspects of FUZE is its score. Built around pulsing minimalist tension, the soundtrack occasionally ‘Fuzes” tabla, an instrument rarely associated with modern heist thrillers. Mackenzie explained that the score initially evolved from inspiration drawn from minimalist composer Terry Riley.
“We started this experiment building tension using a very simple musical palette,” Mackenzie explained. “So we started this experiment to do that. At first I thought this is going to be too boring for a film, but later in the process I suddenly realized with Tony, my composer, that it was actually going to work.”
The Tabla element entered later through musician Sushil K. Dade (Future Pilot A.K.A).
“We asked him to come and contribute and he brought in the tabla for it. Suddenly the tabla just gave it this different kind of energy,” Mackenzie recalled. “It wasn’t designed to be ethnic Indian music or anything like that. We just loved the energy it brought.”
The director also revealed that a soundtrack album for FUZE is expected to release soon.
Ending Beyond The Climax
Unlike many thrillers that end immediately after the central conflict resolves, FUZE continues into an extended aftermath sequence showing the consequences of the heist.
Mackenzie described it as “a sort of prologue at the end of the film.”
“These characters never really get a chance to be in the room together until the very end,” he explained. “It felt like an interesting way of keeping tension alive while also showing how everything comes together.”
FUZE releases on digital platforms May 26 and arrives on Blu-ray and DVD July 7.
If you have any questions regarding FUZE, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more updates, stay tuned and stay High on Cinema!
